Shloka 50
कर्णपर्व — पञ्चदशोऽध्यायः | Karṇa Parva, Chapter 15: Pāṇḍya’s Advance and Aśvatthāmā’s Counterstroke
ततः परमसंक्रुद्धः पाण्डवे<स्त्राण्यवासृजत् । अश्वत्थामाभिरूपाय गृहानतिथये यथा
tataḥ parama-saṅkruddhaḥ pāṇḍave 'strāṇy avāsṛjat | aśvatthāmābhirūpāya gṛhān atithaye yathā ||
சஞ்சயன் கூறினான்—பின்னர் அளவற்ற கோபம் கொண்ட அஸ்வத்தாமா, பாண்டுவின் மகன் அர்ஜுனன் மீது தன் ஆயுதங்களை வீசினான்; தகுதியான விருந்தினருக்கு ஒரு இல்லத்தான் தன் முழு இல்லத்தையும் ஒப்படைப்பதுபோல்.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how uncontrolled anger can drive a warrior to expend all resources without measure. By comparing the weapon-release to a householder surrendering his whole home to a guest, it suggests that intensity (whether hospitality or hostility) must be governed by discernment; otherwise, power becomes wasteful and ethically precarious.
Sañjaya narrates that Aśvatthāmā, seized by great fury, begins discharging weapons against Arjuna. The comparison implies a profuse, almost indiscriminate outpouring of astras, as if he is handing over everything at once to a ‘worthy recipient’—here, his formidable opponent.